1938 :: You Can't Take It With You ::

       

     A comedy is not something I was expecting with this film, but a comedy is what I got! Frank Capra's classic film, and also big winner at the Oscars was such a great movie about friends, family, and having people around you that care about you... and that you care about. 

     The story revolves around the engagement of Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) to Tony Kirby (Jimmy Stewart). Tony's father runs a successful multi- million dollar bank. His family is a bunch of snobs who just parade their money around and believe the middle class are scums. Alice's family on the other hand is an eccentric, outspoken bunch who has adopted the ideals of their grandfather (Lionel Barrymore) as only doing what you want to do and let the good Lord provide the rest. A group of comedians already, all hell breaks loose when the Kirbys come over for dinner one night when the Sycamores were not expecting them. Together they face jail, paparazzi  and many, many fireworks.

     I really enjoyed this movie and feel it could be on my favorites list. It was such a feel good movie without being to sappy or dramatic. In so many ways it is like It's a Wonderful Life, another movie Frank Capra did 8 years later. The story revolves around what is important in life: family, friends, and love. It also includes some of the same cast such as Jimmy Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, and Samuel S. Hinds (Mr. Bailey). I really felt I could relate to the movie because it was down to earth and funny.

     The only fault I could see in this movie is a common movie fault: The circumstances are just not real enough. Wanna know what I mean? Well, I'll spoil the ending. You might just have to watch it yourself. Grading this movie, I would give it an A-. 

Hannah 

1952 ::The Greatest Show on Earth:: C-

     Best Picture winner for 1952 was The Greatest Show on Earth. As you can probably tell, it is a drama into the lives of a few of the trapeze artists, dancers, clowns, and managers of the circus. Aaaaand... that's about it. There was no real plot to the story which left you halfway through the movie wondering when anything substantial was going to happen. It stars Charlton Heston (the man right there in front) who is also known for playing the title role in another Best Picture from 1959, Ben-Hur. He plays Brad, the manager of the show who puts the show above the feelings of his performers. Betty Hutton is the main character, Holly, (left in pink) the best trapeze artist in the show who gets moved out of center ring when Sebastian, a celebrity trapeze artist comes in. Other notable mentions: James Stewart plays Buttons, the clown and Gloria Grahame plays Angel, the elephant rider. Who is Gloria Grahame, you might ask? She played the famous role of Violet in It's a Wonderful Life a few years earlier. Also, it was directed by Cecil B DeMille, a famous director.

     Now to the good part: the judgment.... I grade this movie at a C-. 

     Positives:  First off, James Stewart, I just adore him....... The picture was in color and had so many wonderful and extravagant costumes which were really entertaining. I always love the circus and seeing  all the trapeze artists and dancers, etc. and they had really  great stunts. And, as a side note, Charlton Heston is easy on the eyes =)

     Negatives:   There was no plot at all which made it hard to pay attention and engage. Besides that, it was super long which made it even harder not to get bored. The acting by the supporting actors was wonderful, but the acting of the main characters was horrendous, with the exception of Heston. Betty Hutton was such an over actress it was hard not to hit the off button and the actor who played Sebastian made me want to gag he was so over the top on being a womanizer. 

     Overall on this movie, the bad outweighs the good so I have to give it a low score. It would have been much worse if it was not for James Stewart and it being in color. Is this a "Best Picture"? I would have to say  "No".

Welcome to my blog! I am Hannah. The other night my roommate and I were talking about great movies. Her taste is older and not-so-well known movies, while mine tends to me more modern (last twenty years or so) and big blockbusters. Every year the Academy Awards selects one movie to be the best picture of the whole year. What makes it the best picture? Are they based on preference, how much money was spent on them, or who was in them? And, are the movies of yesteryear still great movies? I was looking at the list of all the movies that had won Best Picture in the last 84 years and realized I had only seen 11 of them. In an effort to watch some real quality movies, I have decided to watch the Best Pictures of the past (even the really old ones!) and share my view of if they are really grand movies or not. I will be giving them a school grade (A-F) and give a little background on who was in the movie, who directed it (if they are worth mentioning), how much was spent on it, and what it is about. If you have seen the movie I would love for you to share what your thoughts were. There's no order of how I am watching these, it's just whatever I can get from the library. On a side note, I may   wait to watch the Godfather and the Godfather 2 just because they are morally unsettling movies. Enjoy!